ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. pop — to visit
  3. season — in sport
  4. field — a subject
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rule — government
  8. key — in music
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. field — farmland
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rule — a law
  18. key — the most important part
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. season — of the year
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com